1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for searching a device on a network.
2. Related Background Art
There is conventionally provided a directory service for efficiently finding and utilizing the resources (printer, server, scanner etc.) on the network. The directory service is so to speak a telephone directory on the network, and stores various information. An example of the directory system is LDAP (lightweight directory access protocol), which is defined in RC1777 issued by IETF. This directory service can be used, for example, for searching the device connected to the network, thereby obtaining the information (network address etc.) of the device available on the network.
In such conventional method, however, for example in case of searching a network printer and in case there are indicated plural devices matching the designated search condition such as the presence or absence of stapling function and the present or absence of two-sided printing function, it is difficult to judge which device is to be selected. Also in case there is no device matching the designated search condition, there is indicated no device, so that the user has to execute the cumbersome search process by designating the search condition again until the usable device is found.